In Little Ways
by Shihara-San Fukurou-Kun
Summary: I died and met God, but messed up and was denied a second chance at life. Instead I was sent to the One Piece world, reborn as a gender flipped Luffy. It's my take on a genderbent One Piece. Not everyone's gender will be changed, and there will be a little surprise in regards to Ace.
1. Chapter 1 The Living Doormat Met God

In Little Ways

Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece and I'm not making a profit from this.

* * *

Someone was calling my name, but I was... very distant. At first I felt dizzy, and it felt like I had cotton in between my ears. It felt like I had been asleep for a long time, yet not at all. I felt extremely tired in a way that wasn't physical, it felt like mental exhaustion instead.

I thought, maybe, I should go back to sleep. I felt safe for some inexplicable reason. I felt- I was... at _peace_.

But the voice, it was very insistent. It kept calling my name. In an all too familiar voice, but I couldn't recognize or place it for some reason. The voice.. it called to me. _It called to my very_ _being_.

And I knew then that I _needed_ to answer back.

My eyes opened, which I found to be very strange. Because I had been standing. Had I been sleeping standing up? Right now, however, I was in a white room. No it went beyond that. This place, it did nothing but scream otherworldly.

"My child." The voice startled me. I was so absorbed in my surroundings that I had almost forgotten, someone had been calling me.

I looked up and saw a man with bare feet, dressed in rags. His smile reassured me, for no reason. I hated that fact about myself, seeing people smile makes me want to smile. I wanted to be suspicious of him, but then I realized that I just _couldn't_.

Other than that I could see that he had long, unruly brown hair, I couldn't see his eyes. And when I tried, my sight would slide either above or underneath - preventing me to sight.

 _Is_ -

"The answer to all of your questions you're thinking right now- All of the questions that you've been waiting all your life just to ask me."

 _God?_ All I could do was gape, dumbly.

"The answer is _yes_. Everything is true. Except for your last question. The answer to that one is no."

The last question? Was God predicting my thoughts even before I had them?

"Never mind that. What's important now, is the question. Do you want to live?"

My mind ground to a halt. I can- I can ask for that? I had been suspecting my death ever since I ended up in a place with _no end_. But I wasn't expecting this to be a near death experience.

"Do you want to go back?"

"I- I-" I choked on my own words, and my eyes watered. I had never been eloquent, but this was just sad.

"Yes, you can. You always have the choice."

A choice? To go back? Would I even want to?

"I-"

"But first let's talk about what you'll give me in return."

"What." What does he mean by that?

"And no I am still not the Devil. But you already know that. Don't you? After all I told you this earlier." He raised his arms, indicating everything around them. "Uncle Lucien can't even hear us when we're in here."

" _Everything_ has a price. Nothing can be obtained without compensation. You can think of it like economics. You desire _success_? You give up the _time_ that you work hard. You _seek_ failure? You give up the time for the _regrets_. You want eternal life? You give up your _soul_."

"Whether it's to God or the Devil... Or me. Or not. Well. At least _that_ still matters to some."

My mind was entirely blank. What are you supposed to do in this sort situation? How do you even answer?

The raggedy man sighed, and said my name.

"If you don't care about yourself... Why expect someone else to care about you?"

"You know what," He snapped his fingers. "I'm just going to do this already."

What appeared before my very eyes was... _me_.

Stuck on a loop of rotation, I was turning like I was an avatar in some futuristic and twisted game. There was a moment of disorientation and dissociation of the self, because it didn't just feel like I was on display. _Frankly I was on display_.

Is this what selling your soul feels like?

"Congratulations," He slow clapped. "You've actually made me.. drop interest?"

"Isn't hardship- Isn't desolation supposed to make a person change for the better? But, no. Not you. Some of your ideas may have been novel in life, but. All you do is wallow in misery."

"But don't worry, I'm giving you another chance. I am a merciful god, after all."

"Where I'm sending you is another one of my domains, so make sure you don't muck it up too much."

A snap of fingers, and a mirror materialized out of the ground.

I didn't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. I... I wasn't me anymore, yes, but that wasn't all.

I still had the black hair and dark eyes, but that was it for the similarities. Short hair was something I was unused to seeing on myself. Coupled with my now tanned skin, and a good six inches to my height, at least - I had essentially became a stranger. Seeking comfort I hugged myself, rubbing my arms for warmth. Finding none I noted that they were now hairless, and I hated that. It simply wasn't _me_.

But the clothes, they were _impossible_. I was wearing a red vest and jean shorts, and a _straw hat._

 _I was Monkey D. Luffy_.

I was an anime _character_. This was so crazy. It had to be a dream.

"Nope, not a dream. You're really dead. And you really just wasted your second chance at life. You could have went back. With a new determination from a recent NDE, you could have changed your life around, even."

Was it even possible to regret.. If your entire life was _nothing but_ regrets?

A beat, then.

"I'll even invoke Rule 63," another finger snap. "Oh, but it's not for your comfort or anything. Heck! Let's mix it up, just for fun. Make some things almost unrecognizable, even. To mess with your head, to mess with people's head. Think you have some advantage? You'd be wrong again. I've changed everything up just for you."

The reflection of Luffy, of _me_ , barely changed though.

"Why the long face? If you think about it - I'm granting a lot of wishes here. Be grateful for what you have, be careful of what you wish for, because there are people out there who have it worst."

I could feel my scalp start to tingle, my stomach plummet. It was _God_ that was scolding me _._

"You're Luffy now.. remember that."

"Goodbye." He said my name, but all that I heard was gibberish.

God placed his hand on my head and pushed down, _hard_.

* * *

AN: This was based on a crazy half dreamt idea I had the other day.


	2. Chapter 2 I'm Luffy

In Little Ways

Chapter 2

* * *

It was only a couple of days ago that Luffy had an accident, but it was only now that she had woken up.

It could be said that if it weren't for Makino-San, Luffy wouldn't be here right now.

Wondering where Luffy had gone because she hadn't been around since lunch, Makino had gone out of their way to check up on the semi orphaned child. Makino's first guess was that Luffy had caught a cold, and couldn't go into town to get dinner. It was with the ingredients to make a rice porridge that Makino had found Luffy laying face down in the dirt, out cold with a head wound.

Luffy lived in a cottage way past the windmills and cow pastures that dotted the edge of town, so Makino had brought the poor child into town where there was easier access to the town doctor. And that was where Luffy had woken up several days later, in Makino-san's room on the second floor of Partys Bar. She had never been up here before, so it was with bright eyes that she looked around. Makino-san's room was surprisingly a little bit messy.

Frankly nobody knew what happened to her, just that she had ended up hurting herself. With no one there to see it.

She needed to thank Makino-San later for saving her life, but right now Makino-san was down stairs working behind the bar while Luffy was still in bed. On the Doctor's orders.

Luffy felt restless and useless with nothing better to do but think about what was on her mind, like.

Was she crazy?

Head injuries are supposed to result in comical bump on the head or amnesia in some cases, not supply her mind with the memories of another life, or at least that's what she got from manga.

I wanted to trust these new memories of an old life.

But what if my past was false?

I couldn't even remember my _own_ _name_.

And if I couldn't even remember that, than who was I?

Honestly her life as Luffy was a total of five years compared to her last one, which was at least four times that. It was a paradox. A lot of her identity was now tied to the life she used to live, but the only name she could remember was the one from this one. She was Luffy, but she also wasn't. She was that girl without a life, someone who was _nothing but regrets_. Now living as someone she once considered fiction.

Luffy was propped up in bed, with bandages wrapped around her head. The scene would not at all be out of place in a manga. With that expressionless face and glazed eyes, she could have been the broken bird or the protagonist with a bad case of amnesia. It was all the more saddening, because the look was so out of place on one so young.

It was with a heavy sigh that Luffy thought that she could do this; all she needed to do was channel her own childhood. She had been much like Luffy as a child. It was just.. If only she could remember her old name than maybe all of this would bother her less...

* * *

A girl fell from the sky today.

Luffy wanted to laugh, she almost cried. It all felt so much like a manga that it _hurt_.

The girl just appeared out of nowhere, fell from the sky, casually picked herself up and dusted herself off. And then smiled like... She had done all that on _purpose_. It was so surreal and more than a little magical. Luffy could now see the appeal, it was like instant mysterious character all in the _introduction_.

It was all so silly that Luffy had to smile back at the girl, however. Luffy smiled her best, with her eyes closed, because she didn't trust herself yet. To smile with her eyes opened, her eyes didn't smile in turn - like they did when she was a child the first time around.

A mop of messy, dark brown curls was what caught Luffy's attention next. Why?

The girl's hair was styled in the honest to god fountain hairstyle you normally wouldn't see on anyone older than a toddler. Or on someone that starred in their own manga or anime. You normally don't see this kind of hair on anyone that wasn't a toddler, because moms would usually grow out their daughters hair at that age, so that tying hair on top of the head was no longer possible.

But this girl. She looked to be at least three years older than Luffy's current physical body's age, but she styled her hair in such a childish way. Wasn't she embarrassed?

"Hell, no. I'm not embarrassed. Because. I. Am. Cute. As. Fuck."

Luffy's mouth fell open. _This girl cusses like a sailor._

"The cutest sailor you'll ever see, thank you very much."

Did I just think out loud again? Embarrassing. It was also embarrassing that the girl had to close my mouth for me. I forgot that I had left it hanging open.

"Hey~ What are you spacing out for?"

The girl snapped her fingers, getting my attention. Luffy got an eyeful of freckles on a lightly browned nose. It tickled a memory that alluded to her past family, but names eluded her. It frustrated her, the family she loved so much but couldn't place a name for any of them.

"Huh?"

"Don't huh," the girl pulled a nasty face. "-me. Like I've been saying- What's your name?"

"Um. I'm Luffy.*" It pained me, but I said my name without even a tiny bit of confusion showing on my face. That fact had bothered both me, and everyone one around me when I had first woken up frommy three day coma. So much in fact that Makino was told to observe me a couple of days by the doctor, because who looks confused when saying their own name? It was also the reason why I kept the bandages wrapped around my head. The wound was gone, but it gave everyone a little peace of mind to have some visual confirmation that I was still a little bit injured.

"It's nice to meet you. Um-"

"Do I really need to repeat my name?" The girl deadpanned.

"...yeah."

"...the name's An, and don't you forget it this time." An probably didn't like repeating things, because she got all up in my face. She had flecks of red and pink in her brown eyes. Although I've seen anime themed coloring from the few people passing through town, but I was struck with how exotic her eyes were. Everything I've seen before now still had a natural tone to it all, but An...

It was like her eyes would burn you, if she let it.

"Okay.. An-Chan."

"No, just no. You sound like an old man saying that. Just call me An, and... I'll call you Luffy, no honorifics. Okay?"

An didn't wait for Luffy to answer in the affirmative, she just did whatever she wanted to do next.

"I'm older than you anyway, so anything I say automatically goes."

"Anyway I came into town- well, more like fell down the mountain- to see if there's a copy of an old volume of this manga I'm looking for. Is there a bookstore around here I could browse around in?"

I didn't have to think very long for an answer. There was only one store in town that sold manga, and it was the same one that I bought all of my manga from.

"Follow me, An. I know just the place." I turned on my heel and lead her deeper into town.

* * *

AN: * Luffy introduces herself in Japanese here using a masculine pronoun. Why? No other reason other than the fact that 5 yr old Luffy talks this way, and the reincarnated person doesn't correct herself. Also before this the two of them are speaking in english. After Luffy introduces herself they continue to speak in Japanese.


	3. Chapter 3 So In Demand

In Little Ways

Chapter 3

* * *

This chapter contains a few time skips.

At the end there's Shanks!

* * *

It wasn't until after An-Chan left that Luffy realized who she was.

She wasn't An-Chan, she was Ann-Chan. The difference being was that the girl was Ace as, well, a girl.

It wasn't something paramount on Luffy's mind, the fact that she's a girl, and Luffy the manga character had been a guy. The fact that anyone else could also have their gender changed slipped her mind entirely even though, God, had said there would be a few more changes. So far Luffy hadn't noticed anyone else that had their gender flipped. Not Jii-Chan, the mayor, or even Makino-san were their opposite gender.

So the entire time Luffy spent browsing the bookstore's contents with An-Chan - had been done so in ignorant bliss.

The happy go lucky, bad mouthed, big sister figure she had just gotten to know was Ace? An-Chan wasn't the same type of person in Luffy's mind when she thought of the boy named Ace.

The two of them had browsed the books in the dusty store together, their heads bowed in gentle conversation. The two of them could've been a picture of a big sibling-little sibling pair on an outing to the bookstore.

Entering the store that sold books, An-Chan was like an entirely different person. Her love of books showed through. Fiction, non-fiction, how-to pamphlets, manga; An-Chan was simply thrilled to sort through the new selection.

She took care to respect the books in the store. Heck! She was polite to the store owner, and even greeted him. She didn't seem like the same girl who cussed at Luffy earlier, seeming more like Ace than this persona was. She was helpful towards Luffy even! It was kind of nice. To have someone worry over you, even if it was just a bunch of questions asked about what kind of manga that Luffy usually liked to read.

Luffy wished that manga from her original world was here in this one, but sadly they weren't.

An-Chan had even promised to buy Luffy some volumes of her favorite manga, Double-oh-zero, because the manga releases were a little behind in Foosha village than in the capital. Talking animatedly about the manga that involved a clumsy guy who was an agent by night and a famous firefighter by day, Luffy even forgot her worries for a bit.

In the end An-Chan had brought home a songbook with sheet music, several dictionaries, a history book, thrillers, three whodunit books and several romance novels. Even if she didn't find the manga volume she was looking for, An-Chan was certainly looked happy when she went home that day.

The fact that An might one day die kind of flew over Luffy's head, even. An was larger than life right there, right then.

* * *

It wasn't until several weeks later that Jii-Chan came to visit. At first Luffy thought the man was there to check up after her health, but the man hadn't uttered a word about it. Strangely enough Garp wasn't wearing his usual aloha shirt. Instead he was wearing a red tee with a bear on it and jean shorts.

Luffy briefly wondered what he was even here for, but she quickly got the answer to that.

Garp brought Luffy into the forest to where a lot of his monkey friends were, but it wasn't to play.

 _Did the man not hear about my recent injury?_

Were Luffy's thoughts as she was pummeled by a monkey.

This old man. He doesn't ask whether I'm okay or not, and then goes on to do this. I'm calling child abuse.

Luffy sighed, too bad no one would listen. Marine Hero, anybody?

I saw an opening and I went for it, I ran to Jii-Chan.

"Jii-Chan! Why do I gotta fight these guys?"

One of the monkey's was making a weird fighting noise.

Luffy pulled a weird face. Those punches.. It was threatening her.. Wasn't it?

"That's your training."

"Training?" _What do I gotta say to make it stop_? Maybe being blunt will make him change his mind. The old man was someone straightforward, after all. "All it does is make me hungry, and I don't wanna get hit anymore." Sigh. That was too much of the truth wasn't it?

"Don't be such a baby," See? Too much of the truth. "You're going to grow up to be the strongest Marine out there."

"I'm going to be a pirate, not a marine!" Ah. What was that!? _I just said something stupid!_

Bonk!

"Ouch!"

"You fool!"

"Grandpa's punches are always the most painful!" Luffy didn't even need to think about that when she said it, it was an automatic response by now.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

And just like that he was gone, back to work. My only family in this second life was barely ever there. I'd complain more, but I got the feeling that would just be seen as out of character.

* * *

It's been a year since Luffy's accident, and now her life has fallen into a rhythm.

Well.. It's more like the accident frightened Makino-san into adding more structure to Luffy's everyday life. Ever since then Makino would find any excuse to send Luffy on an errand every morning or find a reason for Luffy to play in the village and not at home alone.

Makino never said anything about it, but she was definitely worried that Luffy might just die without anyone realising. And honestly Luffy didn't want to worry her, other than her grandfather, Makino-san was the only other person that she knew on a personal level.

So it was like any other morning for the past year, with Luffy paying the fishmonger a visit.

"Good morning, Mrs. Fishmonger," Luffy gave the woman the order stub. "I'm here to pick up Makino's order."

"For such a cute boy as you? Coming right up." Boy? Should Luffy correct her? For some strange reason Luffy wasn't all that bothered, so she didn't.

As the woman ducked under the counter, her husband came up to it.

"Hey, Luffy. If you want to become a pirate than you need to swim. How about I teach you? You can help me out on the fishing boat, and learn on the job."

"Uhh.." Jii-Chan already tried teaching me how to swim.. By throwing me down a ravine. I.. Still can't swim.

"Oh, you," the fishmonger pushed her husband's shoulder playfully. "Stop bothering the poor boy. You know he already helps out at Partys Bar."

"Haha. I know, dear. But it doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

Realising that she had been a little too absent from the conversation, Luffy apologized.

"Bye, bye. Mr, Mrs," Luffy waved as she turned to leave.

* * *

"-It's all your fault, Shanks. You're the one that ruined my life!" It was an argument, done over too many times to count.

"Ahahaha!"

"Don't Ahaha me," Buggy pulled a dumb face. "This is why you're so annoying. If you don't stop-"

"What? You'll leave me? You already told me that you're only staying until it gets boring, on that very first day."

Shanks wrapped an arm around Buggy's neck, in a friendly manner. Only to whisper, "Careful, Buggy. You shouldn't be yelling how I "ruined" your life all the time. People might think we're involved"

"Wha!" Buggy spluttered, causing Shanks to release the shoulder the man was drunkenly hanging off of. Making the man tumble to the ground, laughing.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Having not heard what their captain just said, the crowd felt like adding their own two drunken cents. "Give up finding your own crew, Buggy, and just join under the Captain!"

Shanks picked himself up, and with a mug, started dancing. It even didn't matter that he was clumsily sloshing it all over himself. He was having a great time! It was time to party!

"Shh. Shh, guys, guys. It's okay! The only thing Buggy and me have in common is our love of parties! So- So let's party! Maybe it'll even persuade 'em to stay!"

"Whatever, you idiots! Fuck ya'll!" Buggy flipped off everyone in the tavern. Buggy wanted to forgive and forget, and join in the festivities, but. Buggy needed to finish this drink first.

Turning back to their drink, and red in the face. Buggy muttered, "You idiot."

* * *

AN: Subtle changes to the manga now has Buggy still hanging around Shanks. Anyone want to guess what it is?


	4. Chapter 4 In Love With A Clown

In Little Ways

Chapter 4

* * *

Luffy's face was aflame, and she was frozen with that realization. The recipient of it all was there- Across the room, at the bar.

The man was clean shaven, yet paradoxically roguish. Slim, yet muscular. Long, light blue hair done high up in a ponytail. Purple face paint complemented tan skin. And-

Oh, god.

It sounded like the beginnings of a horrible adult romance novel. Except that Luffy was six, and wasn't about to have an ill conceived one night stand. And the target of said sudden and uncharacteristic infatuation was someone with a big fat, _bright red_ _ **perfectly round**_ **nose**.

 _It was_ _ **Buggy the freakin' Clown**_ _._

* * *

"Do you not like parties?" Makino wasn't sure why she started the conversation with the older man with the impossibly round nose, but she was glad that she did. The poor man was such a sad clown that Makino just wanted to reach out and give him a hug.

"Ah. That's not it. I love parties." It wasn't so much an answer as it was a diversion. For some reason the normally aloof Makino was a little ticked off at the short answer. Thinking of ways to coax out a different reaction other than curt from... Buggy, such a strange name, made Makino intrigued.

"Oh? You don't seem to be enjoying yourself much for a person that loves parties." Buggy seemed to be isolating himself from the rest of the room. Which lead Makino to her next line of inquiry.

"Problems with your crew?"

"They're not my crew," It seemed to Makino that Buggy was being self-depreciating despite not having uttered a single word about himself. "I'm just... Someone who loves parties, hanging around, because the Captain is someone who... Knows how to party." Buggy scoffed, and Makino couldn't help that it endeared him to her. Not wanting for an uncomfortable silence to descend, Makino wondered if...

"The Captain seems like a wonderful," Buggy seemed like someone fun to tease. "Boyfriend."

Makino wasn't expecting such a cute face to appear, too bad about the, maybe, reasons behind it.

"Shanks and I are not an item!" It was hard to take that statement seriously, and take it with a pinch of salt. But aren't people excellent at only hearing what they want?

It was right then that the Captain in question appeared, although it wasn't certain whether he had heard what was said. Makino felt a tiny pang of jealousy at their close proximity. Or maybe it came from their matching sashes. "So.." And Makino might have made sure the Captain knew it, when they made eye contact. "What are we talking about?"

What happened next made Makino's eyes widen. It wasn't everyday that you saw something so hilarious.

"Shanks!... Sorry, man."

"Ahahaha! It's a'right! But if you didn't want me here, all you had to do was ask." Why did it feel like it was directed at her?

Makino began to vigorously shine an already cleaned cup. _It's not like she gave Buggy a cup of water just for all of that to happen!_

Looking back up, Makino found herself looking at the back of Buggy's head. Since when was it that Buggy faced the other way?

Makino found herself getting a glimpse of the nape of his neck as Buggy turned his head, absently tracking the captain. The tips of Buggy's ears were red, and Makino found herself wishing to see his flushed face. Makino frowned at his back. The implications almost put Makino in a bad mood, but putting those thoughts aside, she restarted their previously interrupted conversation.

"He certainly seems like a handful." Makino studied his back, not really checking him out, but trying to figure out something on the back of her own mind.

"Hmmm." Makino begun strumming her long fingers, something she hadn't done since childhood.

"Like I was saying... That's a big N-O." When Buggy turned around Makino's eyes went to their midriff jacket. Maybe that was it. Were they kindred spirits? If so than maybe she was bisexual or pansexual.

"We're the best of friends, though. Not that I would ever admit that." Makino wondered then if Buggy had even noticed that they were now thinking out loud.

"Oh? So you're _single_ than?"

* * *

"Do you not like parties?" The bartender was a woman with black hair and brown eyes. Buggy was a little nervous, and couldn't quite look her in the eye. There must have been a real lull in her duties, to be here striking up a conversation with Buggy.

"Ah. That's not it. I love parties." Unused to speaking with civilian strangers without Shanks, Buggy kept it short. Looking around Buggy was satisfied with noting that everyone else was occupied with either food or drink.

"Oh? You don't seem to be enjoying yourself much for someone that loves parties." If it weren't for- Makino, was it? -san's carefully neutral expression, Buggy would have found her smile, and her chin in palm resting position exceedingly condescending. "Problems with your crew?"

"They're not my crew. I'm just... Someone who loves parties, hanging around, because the Captain is someone who.. Knows how to party." Buggy scoffed. That was a definite understatement.

"The Captain seems like a wonderful.." Buggy sighed. _Did I just unwittingly play wingman again_? Buggy hated it when that happened. All it did was remind Buggy on how broken she was. "Boyfriend." Buggy almost did a spit-take. That red-haired bastard was right, someone actually thought that Shanks and Buggy were involved!

"Shanks and I are not an item!" Buggy wanted to facepalm. That had come out way too loud.

Buggy felt a sudden weight around the neck area, the familiar warmth of Buggy's best friend.

"So.. What are we talking about?" Oh, shit!

This time Buggy did do a spit take - right into Shanks' face.

"Shanks! ... Sorry, man." Shanks didn't hear their conversation, right? If he did, Buggy was never going to hear the end of it.

"Ahahaha! It's a'right! But if you didn't want me here, all you had to do was ask." Shanks waved his arms around, indicating his now wet and sticky face.

"Benn~ Buggy spit on me again~" The man was off wandering in a random direction.

Buggy felt ears redden. Makino didn't hear that did she? For some reason Buggy didn't want her to know that Buggy was a serial spit-taker.

"He certainly seems like a handful."

"Hmm?" When did I turn around in my seat? Buggy turned around to face Makino, since it seemed like she still wanted to talk some more.

"Like I was saying.. That's a big N-O. We're the best of friends, though. Ah. Not that I would ever admit that."

"Oh? So you're single then?"

"Yep." Buggy popped the p, having long been resigned to the fact that she couldn't feel love. At least- the romantic kind of love was out of the question. Sure, she had loved the Captain, _her_ Captain, Roger, but he had been like a father to her. And, yea, she loved Shanks, and-

She had thought long and hard on this, twenty-six years really, but she was sure, since years ago that every time that she thought of the the word like- It was always along the line of platonic likes and loves. She didn't get why there were sometimes hearts in people's eyes, and she definitely didn't get why anyone would want to grind against another.

* * *

It was like trying to sleep with a big, fat cat lying on your chest, and fish breath all up in your grill.

It was like an anchor had suddenly become attached to the body-

Where upon it was thrown with the intent to land in the sea, but the next thing you know you aren't at the bottom of the ocean. You're in a field of stars instead, in outer space, and as expected there's no oxygen. There's no bubbles escaping your mouth, telling you which ways up and which ways down.

Luffy was gobsmacked.

She had felt this excruciating pain and discomfort only a few times before, and in another life, but she had never felt the likes of this before. At least to this extent.

 _It was something that I never thought would ever happen to me, despite the doubt. Something had followed me from my past life, and manifested in a way that I would never have expected._

It could have been a _squish_ , but there was no reason for it. Today was the first day I'd even laid eyes on them. There was no reason for wanting to be their friend. Maybe it was a squish, but what it felt like was a _crush_.

Almost an entire life was spent believing that I was like a majority of the people in the world. I thought I was a romantic. Until I realized that I wasn't. It wasn't until I was twenty, did I found out what I was. Gray-aromantic, sex-repulsed Asexual. The question was... Was I still one?

* * *

AN: First before I explain anything else, I want to say that because of some characters whose genders are changed while there are others who stay the same that it'll change how some people turn out, like their personalities. Also since fan-fiction practically thrives on the concept of the multiverse, I might go more into detail about everyone's sexual identity or orientation; or change it up entirely.

And don't worry guys, Luffy is still going to be Aromantic/Asexual. But since this is an SI, I'm going to add some stuff from my personal life like actually saying aromantic and asexual instead of just implying it like Oda-sensei. So I'm Gray-Romantic, Sex-repulsed Asexual, _and_ Agender so there's that. There's some difference between the original Luffy and this one, because well.. Gray means that sometimes I find myself falling romantically in love, but I've noticed that it's not as intense as other's romantic love. And I also get over crushes easier and stuff. As a child though I didn't so much as get crushes as squishes, and I thought it would be fun to give myself a childhood crush, so there. After all I'm mentally still an adult, but don't worry this isn't going to turn into some squicky fic about a relationship with a twenty year age difference.

Okay.. Now I'm going to go over the changes I made for the fic.

Shanks is a cis male whose Aromantic, but is bisexual, leaning towards women. He's pretty much the same as cannon.

Makino is a trans girl. Did anybody catch that before? I tried making it subtle. She's not aromantic or asexual or anything like that, but all of the people she's liked before have all been guys, so when she notices that Buggy is actually a girl, she's a little surprised. Also after her realization she starts using the pronoun they, because she starts to wonder if Buggy is a trans guy or just a butchy gal. Makino is pretty much the same as cannon except a little more passive aggressive.

Buggy is actually agender, but the vocabulary isn't known and one piece isn't exactly in the age of information for raising awareness. She does have a slight case of body dysphoria, and trans people do exist in one piece, so she used to think that she was transguy. So her manly clothing style, use of ore, and her handsome good looks (lol) cause a lot of people to mistake her for a man, but it's also a result of her youth when she was figuring out who she was. Within the confines of her own mind she uses gender neutral pronouns and she, but doesn't really mind if people confuse her gender. If she uses ore than why is Makino unsure of her gender? Because she uses ore with the pirates but watashi with Makino because she's speaking politely, so Makino is unsure if she's just speaking casually with her crew or if its a gender thing.

Furthermore, because of Buggy being born a girl, she's practically a different person (because people treated them differently growing up). For one instead of having an inferiority-superiority complex, this Buggy just has a regular old inferiority one. Also the original Buggy was cis-male and this one isn't even cis. Her aromanticism is also a bigger part of her life than it was for the original one. She's not obsessed with treasure like the original one was, and is also less ambitious although she still doesn't want to have Shanks as captain. And kinda wants to be one herself. But its more like she wont accept anyone other than Roger as captain than not wanting to be under another person. She also dislikes crowds, and used to have an aversion to touch. And mostly because of Shanks' personality and touchy feely kind of approach to their friendship that she got rid of her aversion to touch. Her fighting style is pretty much the same old, showy style though. She's pretty antisocial outside of the battle field. And yes she dresses like a clown, except she wears a midriff jacket.. which is colored pretty bright (purple).

And Shanks and Buggy, I like to think that like a lot like the original pair that these two are queer platonic friends. It's just the cannon one split up because Shanks knew that they would butt heads way too much and might have ended up enemies if they stayed near each other, although I like to think that Buggy was a little hurt that Shanks didn't argue a bit more. And that in this universe Shanks fought a little to stay a bit longer with Buggy because he's worried about her.

All of my crushes have been on guys, so yes this is the cliche gender misunderstanding.


	5. Chapter 5 Old Habits Anew

In Little Ways

Chapter 5

* * *

In what felt like half an hour, but was probably more like thirty seconds; Luffy stood around looking like a lovesick fool. Frozen and heated, Luffy let her hair fall into her eyes. Thankfully when she looked back up it didn't seem like anyone noticed her non-attempt to hide her face, because everyone in the bar was paying her no mind. They were all currently strangers to the future shounen protagonist.

The only one that probably _would have_ noticed was tending the bar at the moment and ultimately facing away from Luffy, who had just finished putting away the supplies for the day.

But Luffy was too busy having a mild panic/anxiety(!?) attack to feel relieved, though.

 _Had_ Luffy met Buggy's crew in his early childhood?

Or was this truly an alternate universe where _Buggy, not_ Shanks was the pivotal role model in Luffy's life?

She didn't see a straw hat on his head, though. One Piece just couldn't be One Piece without the hat, without the _mugiwara_ part of the Mugiwara Crew.

...Could it?

It was with this headless chicken mindset that made Luffy willingly blind to the glaringly obvious red-headed man wearing the straw hat, quietly talking in a corner of the room.

Luffy then decided to run into the bathroom, to do something about her still red face. At exactly the same moment a brown blur ran through the wild west-esque front door.

* * *

After using the facilities and washing her face, Luffy was ready to face the world without making a scene. Makino really didn't need Luffy bothering her customers or a flashy incident occurring for that matter.

Peeking around the door, Luffy was met with a freckled nose and a smack to the face courtesy of Ann opening the wooden door.

 _Jeez! What in the ever loving_ \- "An-Chan! What was that-!?"

Small hands promptly cupped Luffy's mouth.

"Sshhh! Luffy, why didn't you ever tell me you had such a hot older sister!?"

"...what." Luffy could already feel the bruise forming, the door knob actually hitting her in the eye. _That_ was what she wanted to talk about!? _That_ was why Luffy was going to be sporting a black eye!?

"Wait, no," Ann shook the gutter thoughts out of her head. "That's not why.. Here." The freckled disaster flipped her backpack over her shoulder and took out a small binder. Opening it towards the middle, Luffy was met with the face of her crush on a wanted poster. A whooping 14,000,000 bounty was set underneath Buggy's picture, of him broodily looking over his shoulder.

Had An-Chan seen Luffy's face earlier!? Did she know? What did she want? Was this bullying? Blackmail? Luffy hoped not, because she was already at the _limit_ of her anxiety. Her scalp began tingling. Luffy really hoped her face wasn't burning, and if it was- hopefully, if Ann-Chan noticed, that it'd be mistaken for anger instead. _Luffy_ was a horrible liar.

"And here," a slender finger pointed to a red haired man with scars over his left eye.

 _Well… Luffy was technically still angry at An, curse her quick to boil, quick to cool temperament._

"The Captain, Red-Haired Shanks, is set at 17,000,000 Beri." _Judging_ _by the pose and proximity of the photo, it looked like Shanks knew_ _his picture was being taken. It was the smug face of a selfie, he was even_ _making a kissy, winky face at the camera._

Luffy pulled a face, her future idol was an idiot.

A few more pages were flipped, this time the faces of Ben Beckmann and Yassop were up for display. Their bounties were 15,000,000 and 11,000,000 respectively.

"As you can see…" Ann shrugged the bag all the way off her shoulder, and Luffy was distracted by how much Ann looked like a Japanese school-kid. With her pleated skirt and white blouse, her bookbag was even a little red, square number.

"...and obviously I can't do that part yet. But it's still a good idea to be caught up with current events and bounties. Especially if you want to join the Marines one day, right?"

Luffy nodded her head, and hummed in agreement.

"Wait, what!?" Luffy's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets, and her mouth fell comically open.

"Ann! You want to be a Marine!?" What was this!? Ace- I mean Ann wanted to be a, a- Marine? Was Luffy mistaken? Was Ann really someone else entirely!? Someone not Ace?

"Hush! Don't you be yelling that out when there are some danky-ass pirates about! And yes, I want to be a Marine, you idiot! Haven't you been listening to anything I've been tellin' ya!?"

"Uuuhh..ye-No." Luffy was once again red in the face, this time hanging her head in shame.

Ann sighed, resigned to an entire future of doing so. "Luffy, you really need to learn to listen."

Ann flipped non-existent hair over her shoulder. "At least when it comes to me." The older girl's dramatics was met by silence and a carefully blank face.

"Anyway.. I hurried over when I saw the Jolly Roger of the Red-Hair Crew on the ship heading for Foosha. I was so worried!"

Ann _smashed_ her cheek onto Luffy's, and _annoyingly enough_ started _rubbing her face_ against her's. An act that mortified Luffy, because it was something Luffy remembered doing herself, to _young children_. And that was she was now, wasn't it? She was barely older than a _baby_ , a depressing thought.

"Luffy, my future partner in crime," _why partner in crime? Didn't she_ _want to be a Marine?_ "The little bro I always wanted. My bestie, and I don't know what I'll do if you were hurt by some smelly pirates!"

"Whose smelly!" The bleached blond, Yassop, bellowed a laugh at them. "Haha. Maybe I'll bring this up with the Captain!" His smile suddenly turned ominous.

The two brats before him stared at him like a pair of idiots, and then looked at each other before discord befel them.

"You didn't lock the door!?" The older of the two screeched.

"What!? You were the last one to use it! Why didn't _you_ lock it?" The younger kid had a point, but was ultimately very loud. Which didn't go over too well with Yassop's hangover.

"Shuddup!" Bonk went two weasels! "Come here, you two."

Yassop moved to grab the older by the ear, but she slipped out of his grasp. And the next thing Luffy knows, she's being picked up by the back of her shirt like a kitten.

"Meow?" Hands were then paws, cleaning her face like the kitten she now was.

"Meow?" Dumbfounded was an understatement. "You idiot! Why'd you get caught!?"

"What are you doing? Escape, Luffy!"

Her words fell on deaf ears. Luffy was too busy flashbacking to pay her current situation any attention. "Nooo~ Don't throw me!" _Jii-Chan, you crazy. Ah-Aahh!_

Big, fat ghibli tears began to fall from Luffy's eyes, the very picture of a traumatized child. "I'm gonna die-eeee!"

"Suck it up, Luffy! I got this!" Ann went around Yassop, and held up a wallet so that he could see.

"Hey, blondie. I got your wallet!"

Holding Luffy up above his head, Yassop used his other hand to search his pockets for his wallet-

The girl let out a low whistle, "This a picture of your old lady!? _She is_ _a babe_."

"You-"

"-oof." Yassop's eyes bulged as the air flew out of him. The kid had just tackled him right in the middle. Having expected to find Luffy in the man's now loosened group, Ann was sorely disappointed.

"Luffy!?" Ann turned her head, practically turning herself into a owl in the process.

She spotted Luffy directly behind her, in the lap of _Red-Hair Shanks_.

* * *

The bar fell unnaturally quiet, as everyone stopped their chatter to stare at the kid that literally just fell into their Captain's lap. It was with bated breath that everyone waited to see what the Captain would do next.

Ambiguously brown was her aesthetic. It was then that Luffy found that the windows did indeed _match_ the curtains. Uniquely shaped eyes were her weakness, and Luffy found herself falling back into old habits. Something she hadn't done since middle school: Random compliments.

"Bi-" Pretty. "Bishi."

"Bwa-Ahahaha!" Red-Hair couldn't help but laugh, breaking the silence. It was- It was just so _random_ that it was funny.

"Captain, oh, Captain."

Someone whistled, and someone else cat-called.

"Pretty-boy, what are you gonna do about it!?"

Luffy was mortified. There was just too many people paying attention to her, and a past life's anxiety was roiling in her stomach all at once. Shanks wasn't even her crush, and she called him pretty!? But that was it, that was her. An old habit of her's was giving out compliments and having it misunderstood as flirting. Why did it have to resurface here and now? She didn't even think that Shanks was handsome as a manga character, so why!?

Oh, jeez. People were still catcalling, and.. I was still on his lap.

Shanks resting his face on his hand, smiling he looked down at Luffy. It was all too much for Luffy, making her panic. It was much too close and much too personal that without thinking Luffy flailed backwards.

Leading Luffy to go tumbling to the ground, giving her a sizable bump on the head.

"Ahahaha!" Shanks laughed, and clapped like a walrus.

Taking advantage the moment of distraction, Ann took a hold of Luffy's hand and ran for the door.

Taking a moment to look over her shoulder at the scene; of the Captain still laughing but by now surrounded by a small crowd of friends sent a pang through Ann's heart.

"Ah! Look out, An-Chan!"

Too late Ann tried stopping. All it did, however was result in the two of them bouncing off someone blocking the door instead of going through the front.

Someone with dark long hair in a low tail said, "Wallet." It was Benn Beckman. Reluctantly Ann took out a wallet and gave it up, Yassop's to be exact. The idiot had forgotten about it and was laughing it up with the Captain. Ben took it and crossed his arm, not quite satisfied.

Ben stretched out his hand again. "Try again."

Frowning, Ann did as she was compilied. This time taking out Ben's own wallet, and handing it to him.

Benn motioned with his hands, "All of it."

It was than that Ann took out, from various undisclosed pockets on her body, multiple wallets and purses. The collective wealth of the Red-Hair Pirates in fact.

"Ah. You got me," Ann smiled cheekily. "And now it's time for us to go."

Ben sighed, not moving, but ultimately letting the kids go around him.

It was then that Yassop remembered about his pinched wallet. Coming over to where Benn was standing by the door.

"Those kids are gone, aren't they?"

"Yep. Here's your wallet."

"Oh," Yassop smiled in thanks. "Thanks, Benn."

* * *

AN: please note that Shanks isn't leering at kid!Luffy. It was that for a moment Luffy forgot that she wasn't an adult anymore, and perceived the look he gave her as flirtatious.

Also all of the bounties are from the inside of my head. A lot of guessing on what the bounties would have been like 12 years ago.


End file.
